5 questions on high-speed rail and its U.S. future – CNN.com

It is my opinion (sadly held, I might add) that there will never be one mile of true European-style HSR ever put into commercial operation in the USA.

(CNN) — A train crash in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, that killed at least 80 people and injured 178 more Wednesday poses many questions for investigators, who are homing in on what role the train’s speed may have played in the crash.

The issue of high-speed rail may raise more questions for the public at large, specifically in the United States, where high-speed trains are rare. Here are some basics on this speedy mode of transportation: